🌈 Freshwater Fish That Pop

Legend:
🎨 color • 🤝 temperament • 📏 tank size • 👥 group size • 🌡️ temp • ⚖️ pH • 💦 hardness • 🍽️ diet • 🧪 notes/tips

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🧪 Nano & Community Schoolers (small, super colorful)

• Cardinal / Neon / Green Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon spp.)
  🎨 electric blue + red stripe • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 12–20 • 🌡️ 75–80°F • ⚖️ 6.0–7.2 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ micro-pellets, baby brine • 🧪 dim background + dark substrate = maximum glow
• Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)
  🎨 glowing orange • 🤝 very peaceful • 📏 10–20g • 👥 12–20 • 🌡️ 74–80°F • ⚖️ 6.0–7.2 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ fine flake, microfoods • 🧪 thrives in planted, low flow tanks
• Rummy-Nose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus)
  🎨 red nose/silver body, tight schooling • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 12–20 • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 6.0–7.0 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ flake, micro-pellets • 🧪 great “canary”—pale noses can signal stress
• Harlequin / Lambchop Rasbora (Trigonostigma spp.)
  🎨 copper w/ black wedge • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 10–16 • 🌡️ 74–80°F • ⚖️ 6.0–7.2 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ flake/micro-pellets • 🧪 pops against green plants
• Chili Rasbora (Boraras brigittae)
  🎨 ruby micro-nano • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 5–10g • 👥 12–20 • 🌡️ 75–80°F • ⚖️ 5.5–6.8 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ micro live/frozen • 🧪 best in blackwater, gentle flow

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⭐ Centerpieces (graceful, eye-catching)

• Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
  🎨 many morphs (koi, marble, platinum) • 🤝 semi-peaceful • 📏 29–40g+ (tall) • 👥 1, pair, or group 5+ • 🌡️ 76–82°F • ⚖️ 6.5–7.5 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ pellets/frozen • 🧪 may eat tiny neons as adults—pair with larger schoolers
• Pearl Gourami (Trichopodus leerii)
  🎨 pearly spangles + orange throat • 🤝 gentle • 📏 30g+ • 👥 1M:2F trio or single • 🌡️ 75–80°F • ⚖️ 6.2–7.5 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ flake/frozen • 🧪 floating plants reduce stress
• Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna)
  🎨 warm yellow/orange • 🤝 very peaceful • 📏 10–20g • 👥 pair/trio • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 6.2–7.5 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ small pellets • 🧪 great nano centerpiece
• Betta (plakat/halfmoon) (Betta splendens)
  🎨 every color imaginable • 🤝 solo • 📏 5–10g heated • 👥 1 • 🌡️ 78–80°F • ⚖️ 6.5–7.5 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ betta pellets/frozen • 🧪 keep flow gentle; lids to prevent jumps

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🧩 Dwarf Cichlids (color + personality)

• German Blue / Electric Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)
  🎨 neon blue/gold/red eyes • 🤝 pair • 📏 20–29g • 🌡️ 80–82°F (warm!) • ⚖️ 6.0–7.0 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ quality pellets/frozen • 🧪 pristine water, low nitrate
• Apistogramma (agassizii, cacatuoides, etc.)
  🎨 flamboyant fins (orange/blue) • 🤝 harem/pair • 📏 20–30g • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 5.5–7.0 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ frozen/micro-pellets • 🧪 caves/leaf litter boost confidence and color
• Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)
  🎨 purple bellies, gold/black accents • 🤝 pair • 📏 20–30g • 🌡️ 74–78°F • ⚖️ 6.8–7.6 • 💦 med • 🍽️ omnivore • 🧪 great entry dwarf—use caves

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🧱 African Cichlid Color (hard, alkaline, active)

• Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
  🎨 pure canary yellow • 🤝 mild for mbuna • 📏 55g+ • 👥 group 6–8 • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 7.8–8.6 • 💦 hard • 🍽️ veggie pellets • 🧪 sand + rock piles; avoid meaty diets
• Peacock Cichlids (Aulonocara spp.)
  🎨 metallic blues/oranges/reds • 🤝 semi-aggressive • 📏 55–75g+ • 👥 1M:3–4F • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 7.8–8.6 • 💦 hard • 🍽️ quality cichlid pellets • 🧪 mix species for color variety
• Demasoni / Saulosi
  🎨 electric blue/black bars • 🤝 assertive • 📏 55g+ • 👥 10–15 (to spread aggression) • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 7.8–8.6 • 💦 hard • 🍽️ herbivore diet • 🧪 dense rockwork, heavy filtration

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🌀 Bottom Crew & Oddballs (character + function)

• Corydoras (many species)
  🎨 spotted/panda/sterbai • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 8–12 • 🌡️ 74–80°F (sterbai tolerates warmer) • ⚖️ 6.2–7.6 • 💦 soft–med • 🍽️ sinking wafers • 🧪 soft sand preferred
• Kuhli Loach (Pangio spp.)
  🎨 striped “noodles” • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 8–12 • 🌡️ 76–80°F • ⚖️ 6.0–7.2 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ sinking microfoods • 🧪 tight lids, lots of hides
• Otocinclus
  🎨 subtle, super useful algae grazer • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 20g+ • 👥 6–10 • 🌡️ 74–80°F • ⚖️ 6.2–7.4 • 💦 soft • 🍽️ biofilm/veggie tabs • 🧪 add to mature, stable tanks only
• Hillstream Loach (Sewellia/Gastromyzon)
  🎨 mini “stingray” shape, mottled patterns • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 30g+ • 👥 6+ • 🌡️ 68–75°F • ⚖️ 6.8–7.6 • 💦 med-hard • 🍽️ algae/biofilm • 🧪 high flow + oxygen

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❄️ Coolwater Color (no heater needed)

• Fancy Goldfish (oranda, ranchu, ryukin)
  🎨 gold/red/white/black, flowing fins • 🤝 gentle • 📏 40g+ (add 20g per fish) • 👥 2–4 • 🌡️ 65–72°F • ⚖️ 7.0–8.0 • 💦 med • 🍽️ sinking pellets/veg • 🧪 heavy filtration; avoid sharp decor
• White Cloud Mountain Minnow
  🎨 shimmering stripe, red fins • 🤝 peaceful • 📏 10–20g • 👥 10–20 • 🌡️ 64–72°F • ⚖️ 6.5–8.0 • 💦 soft–hard • 🍽️ micro-pellets • 🧪 great for unheated nanos

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🧭 Compatibility & Setup Cheats

• 👥 Schooling: most tetras/rasboras look best in 10–20+ groups.
• 📏 Footprint > height: longer tanks = better swimming + territory management.
• 🪵 Biotope boosts color:
  • SA soft-water: wood/leaf litter, dim light → tetras/rams/apistos pop.
  • African rift: sand + rock stacks, bright light → peacocks/mbuna shine.
• 🧪 Water: keep NH₃/NO₂ = 0; NO₃ <20–30 ppm (delicates <10).
• 🌡️ Temperature stability matters more than chasing exact numbers.

Avoid combos:

• 🚫 Fin nippers (tiger barbs) + long-finned angels/bettas
• 🚫 Big angels + tiny neons (snack risk)
• 🚫 Mbuna + delicate community fish
• 🚫 High-flow hillstream setups with slow fancy bettas

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🧾 Ready-Made Stocking Blueprints (balanced & pretty)

🌿 20g “Soft-Glow” Planted

• 12 Ember Tetras • 8 Kuhli Loaches • 1 pair Apistogramma
  ➕ Wood, caves, leaf litter; low–med light.

💎 29–40g “Classic Color” Community

• 15 Cardinal Tetras • 8 Corydoras panda • 1 pair Honey Gourami • Nerite snails
  ➕ Dark substrate, lots of epiphyte plants.

🌈 55g “Rainbow Road”

• 10 Boesemani Rainbows (3M:7F) • 12 Rummy-Nose • 8 Corydoras sterbai
  ➕ Open swim lane + moderate flow.

🟨 55–75g “African Jewel Box”

• 6 Yellow Labs • 8 Peacock Cichlids (different color morphs, 2–3M rest F)
  ➕ Aragonite sand, big rock piles, strong filtration.

❄️ 40g “Fancy Parade” (coolwater)

• 2–3 Fancy Goldfish (compatible types) + Dojo loach alternative (if cool, large tank)
  ➕ Smooth decor, overfiltration, frequent WCs.

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🧺 Aquascape & Gear Tips (to enhance color)

• 🌑 Dark substrate/background → deeper reds/blues on tetras/rasboras.
• 🌿 Plants: Anubias, Java fern, Crypts for low tech; add stems for contrast.
• 🪟 Lighting: full-spectrum with decent CRI; 6–8 h/day to limit algae.
• 🫧 Flow: aim returns to create a gentle loop; hillstreams/rainbows like extra flow.
• 🧲 Prefilter sponge on intakes keeps water sparkling and fry/shrimp safe.

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🥣 Feeding for Color (simple but effective)

• 🍽️ Rotate quality pellets/flakes with frozen (brine, daphnia, bloodworms sparingly).
• 🥬 Herbivores (Africans, some rainbows): add spirulina/veggie pellets.
• 🌶️ For reds/oranges: foods with astaxanthin boost pigmentation.
• 🕒 Small portions 1–2×/day; all eaten in ~2–3 minutes.

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🏳️ Not an end-all, be-all

Consider this a high-signal starting point—not a rulebook. Your water, space, and style will shape the best list for you. Mix and match within compatible groups, and scale schools generously for the best look and behavior.